Thursday, June 30, 2011

Marine Park to be created on Boavista

Funding of 183 Million USD has been agreed to set up "Protected Areas" to safeguard 47 Ecosystems in Cape Verde. As part of the project 7 "National Parks" will be created including a Marine Park on Boa Vista.
Here is the article (in Portuguese):  Projecto internacional prevê criação de Parques Naturais

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Up and running...

This last week has been very busy for all of us. After a few days at Lacacão Camp for some training, and also for all the team members to get to know each other, the different teams parted and headed to their own project sites.

We are very pleased that we have been able to start early this season, even though we have to report already 2 killings... it is almost unbelieveble how these turtles got caught even though no activity had yet been recorded. In any case, patrols are now up and running in all project sites, even though we haven't got soldiers yet confirmed. Our local assistants and few volunteers that already started to arrive (both local and foreign) have done a fab job so far, doing what they can to ensure that the beaches are protected most of the night.

Although the start has been slow, we have now recorded nests in each of the beaches patrolled by Turtle Foundation, 8 in total! The last few days have seen an increase in activity, and we even tagged our first two turtles already. That was a good start!

More news to follow, stay tuned!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Team Cabo Verde (so far)

2011 Team almost complete!

First row (low): Domingos, Divaldo (coord. LCC), Ronny Cleyton, Ginshu (Dog), Christian Roder (coord. TF), Red (LCC), Joana (Coord. TF)

Second row (high): Wilson, Manu (coord. Boa Esp), João II, Nais (LCC), João I, Vasco, Joana Nicolau (coord. Fundo) (in front), Kevin Methuen (LCC), Amanda Dutra (coord. LCC), Batcha (Fundo) e Vitor (coord. Fundo)

A volunteer shares her photos

Kathrin Schulte volunteered with Turtle Foundation on Boavista last here.  Here are some photos of her experience:
photos from a volunteer

Monday, June 27, 2011

Some updates from the field on Boavista

From Joana Hancock: 

training session for the crew
June 26th:  This week started the best way possible! The first nests have been recorded, two turtles have already been tagged. Life's good! Last night, first turtle tagged in NORTE!
June 22nd:  Yay! First nest recorded this morning in Boa Esperança!! And first nest recorded last night in Curral Velho!             
Day before, it was Lacacão team opening the honours in Curral Velho beach :-)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

TURTLE FOUNDATION all set for a new season!

Turtle Foundation in Boa Vista island just finished setting the second of its three sea turtle protection base camps, and has officially started its season.

This year TF will protect the beaches of Curral Velho, Lacacão, Boa Esperança, Norte and Canto, ensuring that most of the nesting beaches along the north, northeast and south of the island are protected against poaching. The first camp to be set up was the one located in Lacacão beach, where the new RIU Touareg opened just a few weeks ago, and the new construction phase is due to start anytime soon. Additionally, TF will fund the local initiative Projecto “Varandinha – Povoação Velha”. With the work of TF, this group and Natura 2000, we are hoping that about 90% of the nesting beaches are fully protected, which is great news!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Relatório da Temporada 2010 já disponível!

Finalmente pusémos no nosso site o Relatório Final de temporada de 2010., para que aqueles interssados possam aceder.

Este documento contém básicamente um relato de tudo o que fizémos (ou tentámos fazer!) no último ano. O balanço final foi muito positivo, mas faltou muito para fazer... com a temporada de 2011 a arrancar hoje, só podemos desejar que este ano tenhamos oportunidades e condições de continuar sempre a fazer mais e melhor!

Obrigada a todos os que nos apoiaram (e ainda têm fé em nós ;-) )!

Turtle Foundation

Click no link abaixo para aceder ao documento:

http://www.turtle-foundation.org/Portals/0/Content/TF%20CV%20relato%CC%81rio%202010%20PT.pdf

Some bad news

From Joana, our field coordinator on Boavista:
Some bad news... the first turtle has been caught and killed (ALREADY) on one of the beaches up in the north of the island. We are needing volunteers URGENTLY to help us in the Fundo das Figueiras project. We are due to start patrols on the 19th this month... If you are wondering what to do in late June, and July, don't think twice, and come, we really need some help!!!!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A REALLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL DURING YOUR HOLIDAYS?

THEN WHY NOT BECOME A VOLUNTEER FOR THE TURTLE FOUNDATION? READ WHAT FORMER VOLUNTEERS WROTE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE:

"At the end of May this year when my degree course was complete, I had a choice to make; stay in my comfy-but-boring office job, or do something out of the ordinary. My degree was in Biology and I have always loved animals (especially reptiles) so the turtle project in Cape Verde looked like a good fit for me. This turned out to be, unequivocally, the best decision I have ever made, and something I would recommend to anyone ..." (James Barnes, UK)

”Most people just exist, dreaming of crazy adventure but never doing anything about it – ... whilst you have a breath in your body and can handle tiring exercise five hours per evening – then you’d be doing yourself and Your life a great favour by contacting The Turtle Foundation and committing to volunteering your holiday time next summer to travelling to Boa Vista and experiencing something you really don’t find in your daily life!! Heck, some of us gave up two months of our lives for some of the most intense, exciting and beautiful experiences of our lives. . . . the culture and craziness of the work with the other volunteers can’t help but entice anybody brave enough to jump in and be part of something very special." (Martin Sansone, UK)
"Ich liege mitten in der Nacht am Strand im weißen, warmen Sand, irgendwo auf dieser faszinierenden Insel Boavista, mit ihrer unglaublichen Landschaft, die anders ist als alles, was ich zuvor gesehen habe. Ich schaue Richtung Meer, wo die Wellen unaufhörlich rauschen, betrachte den üppigen Sternenhimmel und bin zufrieden. Neben mir nistet eine unechte Karettschildkröte, Caretta caretta, der Grund warum ich hier bin." (Astrid Mittelstaedt, Deutschland)

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND APPLICATION. IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING, PLEASE DO PASS THE WORD ON. WE ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS NESTING SEASON.

TURTLE FOUNDATION - because extinction means forever!
www.turtle-foundation.org 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Countdown to the season start!

So plans are underway for the start of the season, and we've been busy! Setting up equipment, interviewing people, planning data collection and training, and so on, so on... and our first volunteer comes tomorrow!!!

Today we did our first survey of Boa Esperança beach... somewhat relieved that there are no signs of activity yet either... the camp is planned to be ready on the 21st!!! The beach looks as beautiful as ever, and we are all very excited with the start of the season! :-)

The first camp to be set up is the Lacacão Camp, planned to open on the 15th. Around the 21st we will start the patrols on Norte and Canto beaches, and inaugurate the Boa Esperança Camp. Then, finally,  we are all set.

LET THE TURTLES COME!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

TRAGA UM AMIGO E GANHE DESCONTO! BRING A FRIEND AND GET A DISCOUNT!

TRAGA UM AMIGO E GANHE DESCONTO!

A Turtle Foundation agora oferece descontos nas taxas de participação para grupos de amigos que venham juntos participar de nosso programa de voluntariado e de estágios.

Estadias de 2 a 6 semanas terão os custos descontados de 14 EUR a 12 EUR diários, enquanto estadias de 6 semanas ou mais terão redução de 10 EUR a 8 EUR por dia. Estes descontos aplicam não só para todos aqueles que trouxerem um amigo ou amiga, mas também os amigos!

Há também promoção especial para casais, que terão taxas de participação reduzida de 14 EUR para 10 EUR (estadia de 2 a 6 semanas) e de 10 EUR para 8 EUR (estadia de 6 semanas ou mais). Mas pedimos que tragam a sua própria tenda ;-)

Para mais informações, contacte-nos pelo volunteers@turtle-foundation.org

BRING A FRIEND AND GET A DISCOUNT!

The Turtle Foundations is now offering group discounts for friends and colleagues who come together to participate in our volunteering and internship programs.

If you bring your friends for 2 to 6 weeks stays you and your friends will benefit from a discount on the daily fee; this will decrease from 14 EUR to 12 EUR. Stays of more than 6 weeks will have the daily fee reduced from 10 EUR to 8 EUR :-)

There's also a promotional rate for couples: participation fee will be reduced from 14 EUR to 10 EUR (2 to 6 weeks stay) and from 10 EUR to 8 EUR (stays longer than 6 weeks), but you will have to bring your own tent ;-)

More inquiries email us at volunteers@turtle-foundation.org

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Perda de habitat é o maior constrangimento na preservação de tartarugas, defende organização

Original Article
http://noticias.sapo.mz/lusa/artigo/12622497.html

Cidade da Praia, 31 mai (Lusa) - A perda de habitat, nomeadamente de praias para nidificação, é um dos constrangimentos identificados, sobretudo na ilha da Boavista, para as tartarugas marinhas que, em Cabo Verde, têm um dos principais pontos de desova. A conclusão é da Taola, a Rede Nacional de Protecção das Tartarugas Marinhas de Cabo Verde, que apresentou hoje as recomendações na terceira reunião anual, que decorre até quarta-feira na Cidade da Praia.

Em declarações aos jornalistas, a bióloga Mara Abu-Raya, investigadora e docente do Departamento de Engenharias e Ciências do Mar da Universidade de Cabo Verde (Uni-CV) e coordenadora da organização da reunião, os constrangimentos devem-se às ameaças naturais, à dinâmica normal das zonas, como pela questão da construção na orla costeira e da iluminação, sendo as ilhas turísticas, como Sal e Boavista, onde mais se identifica a perda de habitat. "A ilha da Boavista é uma preocupação, porque é onde temos cerca de 90 por cento da nossa população nidificante. Cabo Verde tem a terceira maior população de tartarugas marinhas a nível do Atlântico", explicou a bióloga.

Mara Abu-Raya acredita que o problema poderá ser facilmente mitigado, com a diminuição da iluminação nas praias, mudando o tipo e a posição da luz. "A captura, que antes era a nossa maior ameaça, já diminuiu muito. Já houve várias campanhas de sensibilização, porque os projetos trabalham principalmente com comunidades locais, que têm ajudado", referiu, exemplificando que quem dirige o projeto na ilha de Santo Antão é a própria comunidade da Cruzinha.

A Brava é a única ilha habitada que ainda não está contemplada neste projeto de preservação de tartarugas marinhas, havendo pólos nas restantes oito -- Fogo, Santiago, Maio, Boavista, Sal, São Nicolau, São Vicente e Santo Antão.

Presente na reunião, o secretário de Estado dos Recursos Marinhos cabo-verdiano, Adalberto Vieira, deu conta dos projetos em curso no domínio da prevenção, destinados sobretudo a estudar as causas subjacentes à captura das tartarugas marinhas.

Um deles, disse, prende-se com a criação das condições para que as pessoas não tenham, por razões económicas, a necessidade de proceder à captura das tartarugas. "Temos também em curso projetos no campo da fiscalização e mormente no campo da repressão, onde pretendemos melhorar a aplicação prática das medidas repressivas, demonstrando às pessoas que eventualmente persistam na captura das tartarugas marinhas que o crime não compensa", acrescentou o governante.

Adalberto Vieira sublinhou que as campanhas de sensibilização estão a dar resultados porque as pessoas estão a consciencializarem-se que, de facto, não compensa a captura da tartaruga marinha, um património natural do arquipélago, com elevado potencial turístico e não só.

"Daí, a necessidade da sua preservação", frisou, considerando que a rede Taola constitui um "exemplo pragmático" do que é que se pode fazer a nível das entidades oficiais no que toca à preservação das tartarugas, em colaboração com as privadas.

JSD.

Lusa/Fim

TAOLA - The Cape Verdean Sea Turtle Network meets in Praia

The Cape Verdean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, "Taola", met last week in Praia, Santiago, in a 3 day event that started on May the 30th. 
Organized for the third year on the row, representatives of all the sea turtle initiatives in the country, gathered to present their project results and plans for 2011, and to discuss important issues such as the need to catalogue all nesting beaches, protection and law enforcement issues, regulation of turtle-watching activities, among others.
Side events included a "batucada" show, a visit to the local sea turtle protection initiative in São Francisco.

The first turtle arrived!!!!

Its with excitement that we announce that the first turtles have started to arrive in both Boavista and Sal, according to our colleagues of Natura 2000 and SOS Tartarugas!

The first nest was recorded in Ervatão beach (Boavista) on the 25th of May, while the first track was recorded on the 4th of June. These early records have surprised us all. Will it be the anticipation of a great season?

WE HOPE SO!! :-)

In the meantime, Turtle Foundation preparations are underway, with camp coordinators and local assistants finding their way to Boavista in the next few days. Equipment are all set, and plans are underway for an early start (planned for the 15th of June).

Now we just have to wait for our first turtles appearing on "our" beaches. Exciting!!! We will let you know, for sure!

http://turtlesoscaboverde.blogspot.com/2011/06/you-know-turtle-season-has-started-when.html